heberer



No. 627,060. Pmmu June :3, I899. A. HEBERER. I

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FUR BURNING COAL IN FURNACES WITHOUT SMOKE.

(Application filed Sept. 2a, 1895.

2 Shear-Smut I.

(No Model.)

Ions mus. nu: umm. msmuwon. D. c.

Nq. 627,060. Patented June I3, M899.

, A. HEBEBER.

"METH0D'70F AND APPARATUS. Fun BURNING cDAL m FURNACES WITHOUT smoke.

- (Application md Kept. 2a, was.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Medal.)

mill-1| II III bustibleiprodnc ts -UNITED STATES PATENT -O1u 1un.

DAM EB RER; OF ALAME-DA, CAIJIFORNVIA.

METHOD orAub APPARATUS FOR BURNING toA-t m FURNACES WITHOUT SMOKE;

SPEGIFlGATION forming'partof Letters Patent No. 627,060, dated June 13, 1899. Kpplioation filed September 28. 1898. Serial No. 692,107.33 at) To all whom it. nuty concern):

' Be it known thatI, ADAli IIEBERERj citi- A genera method or process of producing an'econolnical combustion of all the grades of bituminbus" and lignite coals withont'the production.

of smoke. This inven of a bituminous character. the escape of the combustiblejgaseous products in an unconvented and :a thorough combustion of such I products can be effected by excludingor. re 'ducing the draft or current of air from the ash-pit upward; through the body of fuel to a degree (u-condition sufficient to retain volatile and gaseous'compounds in the region of. greatest heat, when and where they} r are generated and released from the s olid'por tion' at the fuel, and by delivering and dissnrfaceof the fuel in sheets or streams dowusvard. against or in close relation toth'e combustible "products at varying and-opposing angles under sufticientdegree ofpressureto cause thegeurrents or streams of air to meet.

togetherc over the mass, of;-fuel,'and thereby the entire'surface of the mass,-'the quantit'y 3 or volume of a'a'irigso, distributed; being.

properl'yregulated to supply the required pro- .vf-portion or quantityrof "oxygen for .the' com'-.

plete conversion and combustion of the com-L from the-"bituminous pom, ln thisyprooe ssor operv -ationthe:!l$ired resultethat-is, theefiectual 1 combustionof} t he volatil'e-andi-gaseons com-f depend's'not only'uponsuppl-ying-airin proper gnan'tity -to furnish the volume of ted and applied for'various useful purposes; and it relates more especially'to 3 tion is based on the discovery 1' have made that in the processof bnrnin g coal I sumed or partially-consumedstate can be pretributing air within the furnace above the 35 pounds Without the production-of sn1oke'-I-;

oxygen, but also'up'on deliveringand dist-rib.- uting the air in such intimate contact Wither relation to these combustible products. when portions of thefuelthat the oxygen is ,c0mpolled to mix and cor'nbinewith these compose or precipitate or condense in the solid? form of soot and thus produce smoke; and

this mixingor mingling of the oxygen with the combustible compounds must be effected also whilerthey are in suitably close relation to the incandescent fuel or inthe region of greatest heat in order to secure the thorough conversion of [the combustible I compounds into-carbonieacid gas; 5 My said invention,

based on this discovery,consi sts inintroducing and distributing air in sheets'or streams downward against or in close relation to the surface of the mass of fuel at opposing an gles,'so as to meet'together above the surface of the fuel lyingon the grate-surface ande'n tirely cover the 'same and in regulating the upflow ofzaji'rthrough the body of fuel, also in 'delivering-anddistributing air under pres sure in sheetsonstreams downward toward the-surface of the fuel at opposing angles, so as to meet together; over the surface of the fuel and mingle-with the gaseous compounds whilethey areretained inthe. region of great est. heat,'.the updraft of-airth'rough the mass 7 of fuel being c'ontrolledand regu-latedin volnine or quantity from timefto) time as required to 'niaintain active combustion of the solidportion's of the fuel' and at the same time to avoid forcing the combustible gases away from. close proximity to the? fuel during the operation.- A

The invention embraces also a'device crap paratusof novel construction for delivering and distributing air above and beneath the body of fuel on the grate-surface-and for regulating-from the outsideof the furnace from time to time as required .d ui-i'ng the, operation the volume or quantity of air so admitted above and beneath .the'fueh the nature of-thfe said inventionandthe' manneriii-which I proceed tocarry out andperform the same; referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawi ugajforming a part,. thereof; inwhich--'- and where they are set'free from the solid bustible compoundsbefore they can (llCOIih The followingdescrr lion explains at length Figure of thedrawings represents in front invention, the front of the furnace being removed to exposethe interior. This figure also illustrates means for operating the jair-regu'- lating valves from a'commonroclcshaft. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section with parts of the fuel-supporting surface and the air-troughs broken away to show internal parts. This view also represents a construction'of mech-.

anism for regulating the two sets of air-valves independently of each other from the outside of the'furnace. Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale, with parts in longitudinal section,fshowing in detail the construction'of the standing sides of the fuel-troughand the Fig. 4 isan end view 1 Watercirculating tubes. taken from the right-hand side of Fig. 3, showtion of the grate-surface in section. Fig. 5

is a-vert-ical cross-section at a: at, Fi g. 3.

' in carrying out this invention I exclude or reduce the updraftor flow of air-currents from beneath thefuel-supporting surface upward I through the mass of fuel-to an extent or de- 'gree suffi'cien't to prevent the too-rapid decomposition of the coal and the too-rapid liboration and movement of the volatile and gaseous elements away from the incandescent mass, thereby holding them in the region of.

greatest heat for edective contact and mixturewi th the oxygen and until there has been efiec'ted a-comple'te combination between theseicombustible elements and the oxygen I before they escape and are'carried over the bridge-wall. The updraft should be reduced andreg'ulated' to furnish a suitable'proportion of air'fo'rmaintainingactive combustion and an incandescent condition in the carbonaceous or solid portions of the fuel and at the same time to'avoid such a degree of upward pressure through the mass of fuel as r of air descending from above.

" of air admitted un or the mass of fuel is de- 5 would tend to force or carry the gaseous prodnote out of the region of greatest heat While meeting and becoming mixed with the streams The quantity termined and regu ted by the conditions existing from time to time in the operation of the furnace, and as these are found to vary during combustion the supply of air' is to be varied to meet the conditions. An

excessor surplus of upwardly-flowing aircurrents through the fuel will be indicated by the presence of smokyvapors in the fur- I name or a'dull smoky appearance of the flame,

and; on the other hand, the lack of a suffi cient quantityof airadmitted under the grate- .surface'atfany time will be indicated by the *oondition of the fire in the solid portions of the mass. This supply of air from below should be the le st quantity that will supply th'esolid portions of the fuel with the proper volume of oxygen for combustion of the solid carbonaceous portions of the, fuel. Atmospheric air insufficient volume to supplyv the required proportions of oxygen is introduced also and distributed from; above the mass of fuel insheets or streams downward toward the surface of the fuel at varying and oppos-' ing angles from opposite directions, so as to meet together over the fuel and cover the sur face fromfr'ont to rear and from side to side.

of the furnace. The a'irisforced through slits or apertures inclining downward at the required angle, as before described, and under such degree of pressure above that of theat- I mosphere that thestreams coming from opposite directionswill meet together over the hated as the region of great-est heat. Ordiing the front partly broken away and a pornarily a pressure of one ounce to the square inch aboveatmospheric pressure will be the greatest that. will be required, and in some cases I have secured excellent results with one-half that pressure.

Thebest amount or degree of pressure to maintain in the'fur-nace at any time will be readily ascertained. by inspecting the conditions of the combustion going on in the furnace. -As the volume of volatile and gaseous compounds set free from the fuel is constantly varying, it will be necessary {to regulate the pressure and the volume of air so distributed above the fire; but as low a degree of pressure must be employed as will produce the desired effect and will insure the free circulation of the burning gases and heat products over the bridge-wall and under the boiler without a toorapid upward movement of the unconvertedor partially-consumedgases away from the surface of the fuel. I have obtained good results in a furnace of ordinary dimensions having about twenty (20) square feet of fuel-sup{ porting surface, with air-distributing slitsor apertures extending longitudinally over themass of fuel and be brought in'int-imate confuel from front to rear of the furnace, set'at about eighteen (18) inches apart widthwise of the furnace and about twelve (12) inches above the f uel-su rface, the air being supplied to these outlet-apertures at between one-half an ounce and one ounce pressure above that.

of the atmosphere. The conditions existing in the furnace while the combustion is going on, to be ascertained by inspection through,

the furnace-door, are the best guide in regulating and varying elfective results.

-. In the accompanying drawings I have illus-- the, volume of air to secure trated a construct-ion'of coal-burning furnace fora retu rn tubular steam-boiler which is specially adapted for the combustion of bituminous coalwithout smoke in accordance with my said process."

For the fuel-supporting surface A, I use either the ordinary grate-bars, Fig. 1 or a flat perforated plate, Fig. 4, extending from the front back to the bridgewall V. This grateso that its concave side forms the roof of the surface is divided into several separate jt n'mzghs by uptight partitions BBgcai-ried the f urn'ace'back totherear end and extending perpendicularly upward the horizontaltubesjare fixed; "The'top 2 of the box end-is permanen tIyelosetL-Wand the oi a station'aryslotted plate 5 and the grid iron-plate G, fitted to slide'in; groov'esfi in the s idesiof' thebox. .By a longitudinal movement Offthis plate the area of theinlet'rapertures is increased or diminished.

' ,The water-tubes connected together by the boxends 2 2 are set in two parallel row's'at V intervalsapart, and the; spaces: betweenall thetnbes on'the same-side are closed by plates or tiles7 7, laid against the tubes from the outside .With butt-joints. covering. the outer sides of all the tubes, the plates being-drawn upffglg held to ,place'by long bolts8 and nuts is filled by a block or tile 7" with'cu'rvedor rec'essed sides tofit between the tubes. The hollow space hus inclosed by the plates :or

"tiles-P'between the: two tiers or rows of wator-tubes" forms await-chamber, into which air is admitted'through the valve 1 inthe bottom, and from this chamber "or space outlets 10-for the air are made in the'sides oi the partition by leaving, an open space betweenthe top tube and the next highest .xtnbe in the tier onthe same side of the partition', thejaperture IObeing 'made of suitable' formto Ideflect'orturn the stream of air atan angletoward the bottom of the trough. 'A'plate 12 with-a curved edge is'set in the I p. part of the" hollow space projecting through the slits I0 and inclined downward,

' air-chamber. This plate is fastened by bolts 131against the bottom of the block. The function of this plate is to deflect the outgoing currents of air toward the grate-surface,

and when properly placed it; should give the air such an angular direction that the currents or streams from the two opposing partition's will meet together over the bottom of the trough and at all times above thetop line or level of the fire, so as to confine, bafile, or

hold the volatile. and gaseous compounds in proximity to the incandescent fuel. The an-' Lgle or degree of deflection of such air-currents isregulated by givin gthis plate a greater orless degree of curvature. The outlet-apertures 10 should also be situated below the line of the opening at the rear over the bridgewall in order to prevent the volatile and gase ous products as they are generatedand released from the surface of the fuel from es- I caping underneath the streams of air and so e open space between the two top tubes passing outover the bridge-wall and to compel these combustible gases to milvand elfeetively combine with the oxygen of the air while confined between the. sides of thetrough.

} The water-spaces in thestanding partitions are connectedinto the circulating system of 'the-b'oilerby a supply-pipe P, "carried from thefeed waterpipe across the rearof the furnace behind the bridge-wall and connected to. the hollow end of each partition by a short-pipe orcoupling 14, through which the.

water is made to circulate through "the lower ones of the horizontal water-tn bes to the front end and return through -the upper ones to the rear box or end of the partition, at. which end an outlet-pipe 15 connects the water-space of each partition withv a pipe leading into the upperpart of the water-space of theboiler. Instead of connecting the water-spaces V in the hollow end '2 of the troughs with the feedwater-pipe they can be connected into thewater-space of the boiler by carrying a pipe R from the lowest part of the water-space downward behind and across the bridge-wall and-coupling the inlet-pipe'li to'it, acheck valve B being" placed in the pipe R This arrangement of tubes for-carrying thecircu- 'lation of the boiler-water through the waterjackets of the-troughs is-shown in Fig' A horizontal partition 16 in the hollow end of the partition above the water-inlet divides the hollow spaceinto an inlet side and an outlet. side, and in-this. manner a circulation of waterismaintained through the watertoo spaces of the standing sides *of the troughs I from end to end. A suitable valve R is placed in the water-pipe for regulating the supply of water.-

To regulate thequantity ofiairadmitted to the fuel from below, that portion of the gratesurface. between the standing sides of each fuel-trough is boxed in orseparated from the ash-pit,'and in the bottom of this box D is set a'gridiron-valve' formed of astationa-ry plate 17, having narrow air-slots, and the movable plate E, similarly slotted; This 'l'astnamed plate is fitted to slide in grooves'lS and is connected by a rod or link 19 with an arm 20 on a horizontal rock-shaft F, the ends of that shaft being carried in-b'earings in the-side walls of the ash-pit. To a'hand-lever G outside the furnace is connected the rock-shaft F by an arm 21; fixed on one end of the shaft, and a .connec-ting rod 22, pivoted to the end'of the arm and attached to the hand-lever. by an open connection formed of a hook on the end of the rod and a pin on the lever. To this same hand-lever thev slide plates or valves 0 that control the air-inlets in the bottom of the- '.standing partitions are'connected by a common rock-shaft H, having an arm 24 on the outer end, from which aconnecting-rod. 25 is carried to the hand-lever G, an arm 23 being fixed on the shaft H under each inlet valve,

with a link or rod 26 connecting that arm with the slide-plate C. i This connection 26 is composed of two sections um'tedbyaflllrnbuckle 27, so that the lead of the valve can be regulated to vary the area of the inletopenings over'that of the lower valve con-' trolling the admission of air into the box D below the grate-surface. By one movement of the hand-lever both valves are moved and set to increase or reduce the area of the two air-inle'ts'O E, and by adjusting the points of connection between the rods 22 25 and the lever G up or dowfn with respect to the pivot G of the lever the length of throw of one slide overih e other is varied as circumstances are found to require a greater or less increase in the quantity of ail-introduced above the fire over that admitted under the grate-surface. The throw of the slides C E is varied by unhooking-the rods 25} 25 and shifting their points of attachment on the lever up or down.

Either slide can also be adjusted independentlyof the other bydetaching from the handlever the rod of the slide that is to be thrown out of action. The air being introduced first ,into the aslppit is thus admitted for distribu- 'tion into ,the airgboxes' D under thegratesurface through the inlets E, and also into the standing partitions through the inlet C.

The supply ofair under required pressure is maintained by connecting the air-space in the ash-'pit'with an air-blower or other" suitable apparatus, such .as'a pressure-fan, by means of an air-pipe I, carried through the .side of the furnace.

'Having thus fully described my invention,

1 what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by- Letters Patent, is

1.' The improvement in thecombn'stion of coal, which consists in delivering and dis tributing air in sheets at varying angles downward over the mass of fuel and in close relation to the surface thereof and so as to cover the surface; and inregulating the flow of air upward through thefuel-supporting surface, as required.

2. The improvement in the combustion of coal, which consists in delivering air under pressure in sheets at varying angles over the mass of fuel and'in close relation to the surface thereof, so as to meet together and cover the'entire mass of fuel; and in regulatin'gthe flow of air from beneath upward through the,

fuel. I I

3. In a furnace forbur'ning. oo'al,"the combination, with a fuel-supporting surface, of

means'for delivering air in sheets at varying angles downward from opposite directions over the surface of the fuel, so as to meet together and cover the entire surface of the mass of fuel; nieansfor introducing air beheath the fuel-supporting surface; and means for regulating and varying at will from the outside of the furnace during the operation the quantity of air so distributed above and beneath the mass offuel.

4! In a furnace for burning coal, the combination of afuel-sup porting surface, hollow standing partitions dividing the fuebsnrface the surface thereof, air-outlets beneath the bottom of thefuehsupporting surface, valves adapted to control the air-delivering apertures above and beneath the fuel-supporting surface,'and means for regulating said valves 1 from the outside of the'furnace, as required. In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

' ADAM IIEBERER. '[L. 3.]. \Vitnesses:

JOHN A. HOWARD, .JAMEs L.-Kme. 

